Shannen Doherty Reveals She Was “Petrified” to Have Her Brain Tumor Removed

Actress Shannen Doherty has essentially turned her Instagram account into a step-by-step account of her experiences going through cancer treatment as she endures each painful and scary step in managing her illness. Last week, she shared the heartbreaking news that her stage 4 breast cancer has spread to her brain, and this week she published a video showing her in good spirits as she prepared to have a tumor removed from her brain back in January.

In the video, which was filmed Jan. 16, Doherty lies on a hospital bed, prepped for surgery and speaking to a healthcare provider who is off-camera about what to expect before, during, and after her brain surgery.

In the caption, she wrote, “January 16, 2023. Surgery. I had a tumor in my head they wanted to remove and also biopsy. I am clearly trying to be brave but I am petrified. The fear was overwhelming to me.”

She continued, “Scared of all possible bad outcomes, worried about leaving my mom and how that would impact her. Worried that I would come out of surgery not me anymore. This is what cancer can look like.”

Doherty has used her fame to be an outspoken advocate for cancer patients ever since her first diagnosis in 2015. She used her social media accounts to document her treatment process until she went into remission in 2017.

Her cancer eventually returned and in 2020, she announced that it had become Stage 4. In recent weeks, she has been retroactively posting treatments she underwent in January, which have been met with support from colleagues and fans who have been praising her for truthfully documenting her journey.

Doherty has also used her platform to advocate for health insurance reform for SAG-AFTRA members after she lost her insurance due to being unable to work.

In March, she directed her frustration at SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, writing, “@OfficialFranDrescher I’m curious for people like me who have worked since they were 10 and paid dues to @sagaftra how when we aren’t able to work for health reasons why our union abandons us… I think we can do better for all our members and I think you’re [the] person to do it. Health insurance shouldn’t be based on annual income. It’s a lifetime contribution.”